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You Are Chained - You Need Freedom

From: "Shantatma Kerketta" To: am-global@earthlink.net Subject: You Are Chained - You Need Freedom Date: Mon 09 Nov 2009 11:38:42 +0530 Baba PS Intro: In this following song the devotee is talking to Baba, all the while indirectly referring about himself. "Jeo na', shon'o katha, bojha vytha', abujha hoyo na'..." (PS 660) Purport: Baba, please be gracious, please do not leave me all alone, please do not go far away; please keep me in Your shelter. Baba, please listen to the tale of my aching heart; please understand my pain and suffering-- because of my deep longing for You. Baba, I beg You not to remain aloof about my yearning and crying for You. Baba, You have graced me and have made the flower of devotion blossom in my heart. And these flowers are solely for making one beautiful garland for You-- ultimately surrendering them at Your lotus feet. Baba, please do not mercilessly crush those flowers. Baba, please be gracious. Baba, by Your infinite grace please keep me close. Please do not permanently forget about that person who is under shelter day and night. Baba, it seems You have removed him from Your memory. Baba, please recall how in the past You loved him deeply up to his heart's content. That time You saturated his mind with bliss and filled his eyes with Your loving gaze. You were so gracious those days. Baba, You know that very person was with You in each and every rhythm of the song, he was also with You in all kinds of works-- always remaining by Your side. Baba, please do not forget him. Baba, by Your grace I never forget this eternal truth that You are everything. You are the effulgence of the day as well as the darkness of the night. Baba, in this life of mine I have loved only You. Baba, You are the heart of my heart. Please shower Your divine grace on me day and night, incessantly. Baba, even if You always remain forgetful of me, that I can tolerate. Only I ask one thing of You. Baba, please do not push me away from Your holy, lotus feet. Baba, You are my closest & dearest One. You are my everything. Baba, please keep me in Your shelter...
== YOU ARE CHAINED - YOU NEED FREEDOM ==
Namaskar, Every human being understands they are bound; they understand they are not free. A few ignorant people may believe they are free but if they think more deeply then realise that they are not free. Yatha' laohamayaeh pa'shaeh... Everyone is bound by samskaras and they have no choice but to face them: Disease, old age, sickness, loneliness, death. Everyone tries to avoid these afflictions but ultimately they are chained and shackled by those samskaras. There is no other recourse - one must face such bondages. That is what Baba is teaching in the above shloka. But is there really no escape? Must one return again and again onto this earth, thousands and millions of times, to face their karmaphala (fruits of their actions)? This letter explains both the science of bondage and the solution, as given by Marga Guru in the Supreme Command. As the gracious Taraka Brahma Baba has given the way out from this cycle of bondage of life and death.
SAMSKARAS, SUPREME COMMAND & MORE
So long as one is alive, every sadhaka has samskaras. It is impossible for a human being to walk this earth and not have any samskaras. Samskaras and human life go hand in hand - one cannot exist without the other. In your life you surely have faced many things which you did not like and will not like: Humiliation, disease, loss, and so many troubles. These are all the karmic reactions of past samskaras. The question then is: If up to the very minute of one's death a person is still bound by all these samskaras, then how can they achieve liberation? Specifically, how does the Supreme Command work? How can one attain liberation when they are shackled by piles of samskaras waiting to take expression. We will explore the above conundrum as well as other critical aspects of samskara theory & the Supreme Command - all done according to the teachings and guidelines of Baba.
CREATING MORE & MORE SAMSKARAS
In more than a few discourses, Baba explains how in one life a typical human being creates such a huge amount of samskaras that they cannot be exhausted in the next 100 lifetimes. Compounding that by multiple lives then makes for an enormous bundle of samskaras. Baba says, "Human beings have been committing numerous crimes and sins for lives together resulting in a huge pile of sins as high as the Himalayas." (AV-7) From that perspective, human beings are creating huge numbers of samskaras whereby we are totally bound, if not crippled by a mountain of karmic reactions. For instance, suppose in one second, a person harms someone and then they may face the reaction of that misdeed for years or even lifetimes. Or if a baby was sexually abused once by one adult, then that baby will be scarred their entire life and the guilty party must undergo a whole boatload of reactions for this single crime. Or suppose in a fractions of a minute a person poisoned food and subsequently killed one hundred people, then that samskara will be reaped for hundreds of lifetimes. Or what about those who kill animals for sport or food, and they are totally oblivious that they are incurring sin. Indeed there are many examples like that. It happens in society too according to gender and race, such as with slave owners etc. People feel they have the right to harrass others because that is the social norm of the day, but they will face the reaction for countless future lives. All in all, the human mind is wrought with so many propensities and inclinations and in their lifetime people chase after one desire after another. Name, fame, sex, wealth, prestige, house, property, children, food, dreams, vanity, fear etc. All day long your average human is fully engrossed in these dealings. In a single day, a typical person might create dozens or even hundreds of new samskaras. Then Baba cites how most are involved in negative works. It is not like the whole entire humanity is engulfed in benevolence. People are thieving, looting, raping, grabbing etc. With their vanity ego they harass others and do injustice and do not even realise how much they are harming others. So people acquire samskaras by the truckload day after day - even for doing good actions. But that is not all. Finally, as soon as one creates a new samskara, then that samskara or unexpressed reaction starts growing. It collects interest just like in the case of a bank loan. So we have to pay back that samskara with interest. That means if a person steals Rs100 then depending on how much time goes by they will have to lose or payback 200, 1,000, or even 1,000,000 rupees. It all depends how much time goes by before they undergo the reaction. Sometimes the payback is not for several lifetimes. In that case, just imagine the interest. What was a simple misdeed can balloon into a massive debacle. If you punch someone unjustly just once, then ten years later you may get get beaten by so many bandits or gang members at the same time, getting punched again and again. One may think, "I did not do anything wrong, why is this happening?", but this is samskara from earlier. In various phases people face either good samskaras and bad samskaras. Even though one may be facing a good samskara today, in the future one may face a whole pile of bad samsakras. It all depends on what is more conducive at a particular time. A young person may think that "I will never get sick", yet all the while they have samskara for a terrible sickness and that samskara is waiting for the right time or conducive moment to take expression. Then in the bad days of one's old age that disease will manifest. It is all about having a conducive environment. Just a seeds sprout in the spring and not in winter, same is the case with both good and bad samskaras. The right environment is needed. The whole scenario then is quite serious. Getting bound by samskaras is an inevitable and involved process. It happens to everyone - period, whether one is a sadhaka or not. How then are we to escape this web - this intricate and burdensome bundle of samskaras.
BABA'S GRACIOUS BOON ON SADHAKAS LIBERATION IS A SURE GUARANTEE
Enter the Supreme Command. We all say it each and every week, if not more frequently, "Those who perform sadhana twice a day regularly, the thought of Parama Purusa will arise in mind at the time of death; their liberation is a sure guarantee." Thus, in the Supreme Command, Baba guarantees liberation to all sadhakas - irrespective of the bundle of samskaras that they are carrying. And here' s how it works. At the time of death, one witnesses a movie-like series of images that flashes across one's citta covering their life's events. Typically that produces a range of thoughts and the common person will get glued to one of those worldly thoughts. Things like: Yelling, thievery, stealing, harassment, killing, as well as good thoughts like feeding others. But the dominant thought that comes most strongly is usually something negative - not a benevolent ideal. Then as soon as their body expires, the person will be in search of a new body that matches up with their prevailing thought, or samskara. In that way common people get reborn as dogs, bugs, mice, humans, stones etc. It does not happen to just humans. In Jamalpur, Baba did a demonstration where He made Dasrathji a medium to see a margii's past life. There was a yogi doing meditation who got bit by one wasp. The yogi he killed that wasp - there was no reaction for the yogi - and the wasp died with the thought of the yogi in mind and was reborn as that margii sadhaka. Here the point is that one'e rebirth depends on one's mental colour or dominant thought. Baba says, "One acquires a physical body according to the nature of one’s sam'ska'ras. A human being who behaves like a goat or a dog may be born as a goat or a dog in the next life, because such an animal body is the proper base for the congenial expression of the latent sam'ska'ras. Hence it is not at all impossible for a human being to be reborn as a hog, a worm, a tree, or even a piece of stone. One’s destiny will be decided according to the nature of one’s karma – this is an infallible law." (AMIWL-7) Plus in so many discourses Baba tells that those who ideate on money turn into coin or dollars etc. But with sadhakas, however, the process is entirely different. Baba guides us that if one is earnest in doing sadhana twice a day, then they will get liberation. How? Because normally at the time of death the mind seeks a new body according to karmic law. But if one is involved in the thought of Parama Purusa at the time of death, then the rules of karma do not apply. Then one is not bound by their past actions and potential reactions. Then the movie reel of negative deeds will not appear in their mind at the time of death - only the thought of Him will come. That is His grace. Then one will think nothing other than the thought of Parama Purusa. In that state all samskaras get burned and the sadhaka becomes one with Parama Purusa. For that Baba wants that you must fulfill the guidelines of the the Supreme Command. You do your duty of sadhana and He fulfllls His guarantee of liberation. If the first half (i.e. sadhana) is not done then second half (i.e. liberation) does not happen. Then the sadhaka is bound. On this aspect margiis are forunate and we should bring others onto the path so they can save themselves from the horrors of samskaras and get liberation. That is also part of the supreme command. By His grace, when we do sadhana twice daily, then liberation is sure. That is His divine compassion. Human beings alone cannot overcome all those samskaras by themselves - His grace is needed. So then Baba graciously dissolves all the remaining samskaras, and the sadhaka merges in Him. That is the special formula. And for it to happen, the pre-requisite is twice a day sadhana. One must try earnestly to do sadhana for 30 minutes each sitting- it need not be perfect sadhana - the mind might flicker and one's concentration on the mantra might waver, but one's sincerity must be proper. That is the key point: sincerity. If this type of reverential approach is taken in sadhana twice daily, then regardless if one's sadhana is "good" or "bad", the bhakta is sure to attain liberation. That practice is enough to ensure that at the time of death one will think of Him, by His grace, in which case He will take away all remaining samskaras and grant liberation. That is Guru's most gracious promise and boon.
WHY MUKTI IS IMPORTANT
Even then, those in the dark, may think that, "I am not bound - I am free - I need not seek liberation." Such is a classic case of sheer ignorance, sometimes even good sadhakas can think like this. Here we should always remember that everyone on this earth is bound by samsakras in one way or another. Every jiiva is bound - bound by death, by old age, by hunger, by so many things. No one is free. One can only get temporary satisfaction through worldly things like food, sleep etc. But then soon again one will feel hungry or tired. It happens. Baba says, "To live in this physical world, to preserve our existence, artha or money is essential. However, we also require parama'rtha. Parama'rtha is that factor which brings about the permanent cessation of the triple afflictions. Here permanent cessation means cessation of those afflictions which, once removed, will never return again in the future. That artha which brings permanent relief from the pangs of hunger, which is the instrument of permanent cessation, is called “parama'rtha”. It is important that you understand the true significance of “parama'rtha”." (AV-4) Only the spiritual sphere can permanently satisfy all human hunger and yearning. Only by following the rules and guidelines in the Supreme Command can one attain eternal peace. Till that time, one will always be engulfed in some kind of limitation and ignorance. When we adhere to the Supreme Command - when we do sadhana twice daily with sincerity - then by His grace we will be relieved of all bondages and suffering and be granted liberation.
BABA'S BLESSING
By Baba's grace every Ananda Margii does sadhana twice daily. In that case liberation is certain. So no one should get caught up in worry or despair. Baba is controlling everything. He can and will save us from each and every predicament. There is no cause for hopelessness or helplessness. With sincerity in sadhana, He will grace us with only His thought when we die, ensuring liberation. That is His guarantee in the Supreme Command. Baba says, " If one dies while seeking the Supreme, one will surely attain the Supreme after death. One who is totally absorbed in ideation on the Supreme becomes one with the Supreme at the time of death. This is certainly true in the case of devotees." (AMIWL-9) Namaskar, Shantatma
Note 1: UNDERGOING SAMSKARAS
Here are two more points about undergoing samskaras. (A) You may have noticed how people comment that once one gets initiated then so many problems and difficulties start happening. That is because the karmic cycle speeds up so one can undergo all their reactions. Even then by His grace He will ensure that they get totally exhausted in the end. So that is one phenomenon. (B) Side by side, if the mind is high and vibrated then the manifestation of bad samskaras does not cause mental anguish to the sadhaka. If one is devotionally remembering Him, then one will feel light and easy. For instance, if Baba is coming and one sadhaka is rushing to go see Baba and while running he cuts his foot. That sadhaka may not even know that his foot is bleeding because his mind is so engrossed in the thought of Baba. That is the way it works. Other may think you are suffering a lot but if the mind is high, then one does not experience any mental trouble while undergoing those samskaras.
*************************************** Who is blessed one?
Baba says, "The man who is intelligent should, from his very childhood, move along the path of proto-spirituality. The sooner a man starts and moves along this path of psycho-spirituality, the better it is. He is the blessed one." (AV-12, p.75) Note: With the start of this happy new year we should once again reflect how Baba has graced us by providing us all the tools and teachings for moving along the path of spirituality. So again with renewed vigor we should be more firm and more sincere in our adherence to Sixteen Points.
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